Smartphone users spend nearly an hour a day with their devices

If you’re like me, you use it in small chunks – checking email while hurrying to a meeting, scrolling through Twitter while waiting for an elevator, watching an episode of “Arrested Development” on the treadmill, texting my family, checking the bio of an actor while watching a movie and, yes, sometimes even making or receiving calls.

In a new study, Experian Marketing Services says the average adult smartphone owner spends 58 minutes a day using the device. Interestingly, the biggest usage of this 21st century device is a very 20th-century activity: talking on the phone is at 26 percent, while texting comes in second at 20 percent.

Also high on the list: social networking, visiting websites, email and games.

As have other studies, the Experian report indicates there are real differences in the way owners of Android smartphones and iPhones use their devices:

For starters, iPhone users spend an hour and fifteen minutes using their phones per day, a full 26 minutes more than the typical Android phone owner. Additionally, iPhone and Android smartphone owners use their phones in markedly different ways. For instance, 28% of the time that Android users spend using their phones is dedicated to talking, whereas iPhone users spend only 22% of their smartphone time talking on the device. Android owners also devote a greater share of time visiting websites on their phone than iPhone owners. On the other hand, iPhone owners spend a disproportionately greater share of smartphone time than Android owners texting, emailing, using the camera and social networking.

The study also found that 98 percent of people don’t watch video on their phone in a typical day. I find that surprising, given the number of times a day someone will share funny YouTube clip with me. As I mentioned, I watch long videos – usually TV shows lasting 30-48 minutes at time – about 4-5 times a week, while I work out. But this is not common, according to Experian.

How does the study match up with your smartphone use? Let us know in the comments.